District Transparency Certificate of Excellence

The Chino Valley Fire District is committed to being accessible and engaged with the public by creating awareness of Fire District activities while maintaining transparency in its operation and governance.

Certification

The Chino Valley Fire District became the first fire district in California to receive the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence Award by the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) on October 16, 2013. Special Districts must re-apply for the award every two years.

The SDLF is a non-profit organization that was formed to promote good governance and best practices among California’s special districts through certification, accreditation and other recognition programs.

To qualify for this certification, the Fire District had to demonstrate compliance in eight essential governance transparency requirements, including conducting ethics training for all board members, properly conducting open and public meetings, and filing financial transactions and compensation reports to the State Controller in a timely manner.

The Fire District also had to demonstrate that it fulfilled fifteen website requirements, including providing readily available information to the public, such as board meeting agendas, minutes, current district budget, and the most recent financial audit. In addition, the Fire District had to demonstrate outreach, which engages the public in its governance through newsletters and other materials.

The Fire District successfully met all transparency program requirements and received re-accreditation from June 2017 to June 2019.